Jason Fox - Just to get more OL from Florida

Figured since Rob put up his initial impressions of FSU OG Rodney Hudson, I'd throw in a report on Jason Fox, an offensive tackle prospect from Miami. At 6'7 310, Fox is pretty light for a tackle, but suits Seattle's desire for smaller, quicker linesmen. Fox is also a great Ruskell fit, having started 36 games going into his Senior year and was selected as a team captain his Junior (and possibly Senior, though I can't verify that) season.

Fox is probably best suited as a right tackle in the NFL. While he does not consistently lose the edge battle, Austin English (a good, athletic DE from Oklahoma) seemed to be testing the limits of Fox's ability to control the corner, especially when he took a wide (pass-rushing) stance. It's hard to imagine Fox even slowing down a pass rusher like Dwight Freeney, though Fox's quickness out of his stance is a big plus.

If Fox can catch the pass rusher, he does seem to do well. While he can be pushed back by a strong bull-rush, he doesn't consistently get pushed back. I was really impressed by his hands use - almost no college OT prospects demonstrate an actual "punch" in pass protection, but I've seen Fox give one from time to time - even if it lacks pow, it was nice to see and speaks well about Fox's ability to learn and master technique.

The concern with right tackle is that typically the right tackle has to take on bigger DEs, which could prove problematic for Fox. He has the footspeed to stay with most DEs, and the strength to play with most DEs, but there are going to be weeks where he is overmatched. While I present a lot of problems with Fox, the truth is that he has looked as impressive as anyone in pass protection this year. This draft class just doesn't have a lot of great blindside protectors.

Surprisingly, Fox is a very good run blocker. You'd expect a guy his size to struggle a bit with leverage, but Fox uses superior footwork and hand placement to seal the defender and open holes. Haven't had the chance to see Fox get to the 2nd level much, but he seems to have done well in the few chances he's had. Looks like a natural runner, as you'd expect from a former TE. He has very little power in his game, but opens a ton of holes with technique and athleticism.

In the end, Fox is a guy who could end up playing for Seattle. Miami grades their OL notoriously easily, but Fox is still grading out over 95% in his career, and easy grading or not, that's impressive. There are a lot of similarities between Unger and Fox, and Seattle could do a lot worse than Fox. I'd consider Fox a good value anywhere in the 2nd round, but that grade is extremely tentative.